The mercury’s been in a downright low position lately, and seems intent on hanging out there for a bit. So rather than whine about the weather, why not warm up by stocking your pantry with some savory comfort-food-ready cheese?

Alpine cheese refers to any cheese that is made using methods similar to those made in the Alps… Think Gruyere, Emmenthaler, Comte and such. These cheeses are characterized by their firm, yet elastic texture, low salt content, and super melt-ability (yes, that’s the technical term). They have a wide array of flavors, ranging from fresh cut grass to chocolate to toasted hazelnuts depending on the forage of the animals (usually cows) whose milk was used to make them.

In the kitchen they’re chameleons, making gluttonous grilled cheese, mac and cheese magic, fabulous fondue, and gratuitously good gratins. Just slice, grate, and add to your favorite dishes for a butterfatty kick in the pants that is sure to banish the winter blues!

I’m the first to admit it… I’m not the cheffy type. Being a cheesemonger, this can confer an unfair advantage when it comes to cooking because let’s face it, what dish is not improved by adding a pinch (or a punch) of cheese?!

With this cold weather bearing down on us, and cheese eating being one of the best ways to combat the wintry chill, I’ve started to look for some new ways to enjoy some of our trusty old standbys. And while my latest creation may not win a beauty pageant (in fact it would probably send most food stylists running for the hills) my tastebuds have been happily pleased with the results! Think grown up pop tart, only filled with cheese AND jam…

Step 1 – Cheese on puff pastry

Step 2 – Jam on cheese

Step 3 – Bake and scarf!

Saxelby Cheesemongers Landlubber’s Cabin Fever Sea Change

Ingredients:

One Sea Change (or a few if you’re serving a crowd!)

Puff Pastry

One Egg

Milk

Your Favorite Jar of Preserves

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Unfurl the puff pastry and lay one sheet on a cutting board. (If you’re a neophyte to the puff pastry world as I apparently am, don’t let it sit there for more than a minute. It turns from puff pastry into shatter pastry)

3. Place the Sea Change in the center and schmear the top with your favorite preserves.

4. Wrap the puff pastry around the cheese and pleat around the top

5. Cut a circular piece of puff pastry to cover the top (optional)

6. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. (Not optional. This is the part that I skipped thinking to myself ‘Hey! Cheese is always best at room temperature!’, which in hindsight was dumb because when you bake room temperature cheese it gets REALLY runny REALLY fast. I repeat, as optional as this step may seem, it is really not optional.

7. Take out of the fridge and brush the top with a one egg yolk beaten with a touch of milk.

8. Bake for 5 minutes at 400, then reduce the temperature to 350. Bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until puff pastry becomes puffy and golden.